I don't have a problem WITH chocolate. I have a problem WITHOUT chocolate.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Vosges: Enchanted Mushroom

Now, the Naga Mango pieces by Vosges may have not been their finest moment. But in no way does that discourage me from eating more Vosges. I mean, you can’t abandon folks who think to combine chocolate with WASABI. Or, well, ‘shrooms.

This Enchanted Mushroom Bar, which is apparently just made from non-psychedelic mushrooms, is a bit different from your average chocolate bar. Sure, there’s the 66% cacao dark chocolate. And some walnuts. But Reishi mushrooms? Yeah, not so normal.

The bar has a caramel aroma with a hint of nuttiness, and the walnut bits are well-displayed throughout the bar, adding a bit of crunch and delightful richness with their fatty edge.

The mushroom bits were also crunchy, though they were distributed in tiny little bits that made the chocolate come across as grainy. Aside from the effect on the texture, the mushroom was not evident, aside from a very slight earthy aftertaste. The good news is that this allows the pleasing coffee flavor of the chocolate, which is balanced with just a bit of added sugar, to come through. The bar isn’t offensive, but it’s not Vosges best work. Next time, I’ll just add more Habana bars to my stash and leave this one on the shelf.